WALES legend Phil Bennett has urged Rob Howley to keep faith with those who have “earned their stripes” at Test level this autumn, and dismissed the idea of dropping big name players on regional form.

WALES legend Phil Bennett has urged Rob Howley to keep faith with those who have “earned their stripes” at Test level this autumn, and dismissed the idea of dropping big name players on regional form.

Howley’s squad returned from their Polish boot camp over the weekend, and will step up their preparations for the opening November match against Argentina on Saturday at their Vale Resort base this week.

There have been concerns about the form of several mainstays of last season’s Grand Slam winning team, and calls in some quarters for Howley to wield the axe.

But Bennett emphasised the importance of results in the coming weeks as opposed to encouraging performances, with world ranking points critical ahead of the draw for the 2015 World Cup pools in December.

And the former Lions captain does not believe it is time for Howley to be experimenting with Test rookies.

“The winning-is-everything view should be at the forefront of Rob Howley’s thinking when it comes to team selection,” said Bennett.

“Losing Lions prop Adam Jones was a huge blow, but his replacement has to be someone tried and trusted.

“So, I would rule out throwing in rookies Aaron Jarvis or Samson Lee and go instead for Paul James to start at tighthead.

“Richard Hibbard is the form hooker, so must start, while the rest of the pack should be those who delivered last season.

“If Ryan follows Dan Lydiate onto the injury list there are plenty of alternatives, including moving Warburton across to blindside.

“Talk of dropping Sam or Jamie Roberts because of regional form is premature, as they have earned their stripes at Test level.

“So, Jamie should partner Jonathan Davies at centre, with Mike Phillips and Rhys Priestland at half-back. George North, Alex Cuthbert and Leigh Halfpenny should make up the back three.

“The message to those not at their very best should be to get back there as part of a winning team.”

Wales are neck and neck with England and France in the IRB rankings, currently lying in sixth with less than a point separating them from England, who are fourth and will win a top seeding for the 2015 draw if they stay there.

That will mean they avoid runaway leaders New Zealand, Australia and South Africa who occupy the top three spots respectively and are hugely unlikely to be budged.

Bennett added: “For too many years we have seen the autumn games as progress reports, measuring posts to see how we compare to the southern hemisphere.

“Well, as Six Nations champions and having failed to beat the Aussies in three attempts Down Under, all I care about are victories – no matter how scrappy, no matter how undeserved.

“That attitude is even more critical when you remember that seeding for the next World Cup takes place soon and there places up for grabs.

“If Wales can get some big scalps over the next month, then it might mean we avoid one of the giants in the pool stage of the next tournament.”

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